Ch.381Uninterruptible NPC. (2)

“Latina, I, we are too weak. If you really want to remain Ira’s friend until the end, at the very least, you shouldn’t fear the fragments of magic that Ira normally emits. I’ve seen Ira’s full power. And at first, I thought it was terrifying. Later, I regretted feeling that way, because that’s not an emotion you should have toward a friend. You understand what I mean, right?”

I hope you don’t regret it. I consider you a friend too.

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.

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Now that Grace had returned and was leading the Class A students with the professor’s permission, I was acutely feeling the weight of her words.

I’ve never seen such tremendous magical power before. This is already far denser and greater than what the Dean showed us on our entrance ceremony day…!!

“This is about 80%. This is the maximum magical power I can release right now. Beyond this, even I can’t bring it out. But Latina, you probably know…”

“Y-yes…! I, I know. Four-element simultaneous operation p-possible! M-m-magic…! S-so this is Ira’s maximum capacity…?!”

I feel like I might bite my tongue. My hands and feet are trembling. With each breath, I feel as if Ira’s magic is eroding my body. Her magic is flowing through the surrounding space with proper consideration, not enveloping me directly. Yet I feel an overwhelming pressure as if I might be crushed to death at any moment.

If insects could describe how they feel when looking at humans, I’m certainly experiencing what an ant must feel right now.

-Tremble tremble tremble…!

“…Now, I’ll withdraw my magic.”

“Y-yeeeess.”

I can’t even control my involuntarily trembling arms, and I feel relief as Ira slowly withdraws her magic. I see, so I’m just like Grace after all…

“…Phew. Latina, are you okay?”

“…He, hehe. I-I might have wet myself a little?”

I tried to force my stiffened facial muscles to smile, but I’m not sure if I’m smiling properly. No, there’s no way I’m smiling properly. After crying so much earlier, my face must be swollen. Moreover…

‘Ah, I’m still scared.’

Even though she’s suppressing her magic, it still feels like Class A student level. Ira is truly incredibly strong. I’m really at a level where I won’t be of any help by her side.

As I start having such self-deprecating thoughts again, I feel a lump in my throat without realizing it.

No, this won’t do. Ira responded to all my unpleasant reactions and unreasonable requests. Because I’m truly precious to her, because she considers me a friend. That’s why she agreed to everything. That’s why.

“…L-Latina. So, um, are you not angry anymore…?”

Even now, Ira, who could crush someone like me with one hand, is probably fidgeting and shifting her eyes anxiously. So, I…

“No, I’m still not over it.”

“…Eh?”

‘…I was never angry with Ira in the first place.’

-Grip.

I tightly grasp my staff and walk from the bench toward the center of the practice field. I need to talk to Ira properly. I need to face her properly.

To avoid hurting Ira because of my pathetic self. Now, not just as the benefactor’s sister, but properly as a friend. To stand properly by her side.

“…Ira. Spar with me from now on. Don’t hold back, be serious. I want to be able to proudly stand as your friend.”

“Huh, what?”

At the center of the practice field, I pointed my staff at Ira with final determination.

*

…I never expected her to challenge Lady Ira to a duel. This is truly unexpected.

I observe the level of the girl who requested the duel but is trembling with fear in the center of the practice field.

[-Vocational Academy Student- Name: Latina. Level: 176 Age: 15]

What on earth happened? Moreover, that level is definitely abnormal. “I want to proudly stand as Ira’s friend.” I don’t quite understand those words either, but that girl’s level growth couldn’t have been this rapid. Though even so.

“…Okay, if that’s what Latina wants, I’ll just go along with it. Piyak.”

“Peet!!”

-Flap!!

[Supreme Fire Spirit Phoenix (Growing Stage): Name: Piyaki. Level: 2,187]

No longer the round sparrow-like form from before, a red spirit with the appearance of a properly grown bird flaps its wings and perches on Lady Ira’s shoulder.

[Such tremendous magical power, is this the magic possessed by the spirit that seemed like nothing until now? No, did it grow along with Lady Ira’s growth?]

[-Occupation Village Girl: Level 729 Name: Ira. Age: 13.]

[Strength: 262]

[Agility: 311]

[Intelligence: 992]

[Luck: MAX]

[HP: 3,331]

[MP: 4,792]

Lady Ira is still suppressing her magic, but Piyaki perched on her shoulder seems to have no such intention, emitting considerable magic and intimidating the girl. And with just that, the girl who was preparing to fight with determination until a moment ago is now just swallowing dry saliva.

“Gulp…! Is that Piyaki’s true form?”

“No, he grew bigger after we returned from the Empire.”

-Tap!

Though Lady Ira’s strength and agility are quite low compared to her level, they’re more than enough to reach the practice field in one step. Instantly appearing before the girl called Latina, Lady Ira quietly raised her staff and continued speaking.

“My brother said that when you talk sincerely with someone precious, you should be sincere too. My brother did that with me, but he wasn’t very good at doing that with my sisters. He told me not to make the same mistake.”

“…Ira’s brother is really kind, isn’t he?”

“Yes. As kind as Latina.”

I know that Master sometimes tells Ira various stories when they sleep together, but I’m not sure if he foresaw this situation or what. And then.

-Snap!

“Come forth, spirits!! Water intermediate spirit!!”

-Splash!! Whoosh!!

[———!]

[———~]

The girl who quietly listened to Lady Ira’s words prepares by summoning her spirits as well. A low-level wind spirit and an intermediate water spirit. Surely, she was said to have difficulty contracting spirits before. I really wonder what happened…

“Gor! Give the signal!!”

“…Please.”

“Yes.”

Both of them seem ready, looking at each other and taking their stances without looking at me. I follow them up to the practice field.

“The match will be decided when one person falls first or becomes unable to fight. Since you are friends, I will intervene to stop if either of you is about to sustain serious injuries. Any objections?”

“I trust Gor.”

“…I won’t lose easily.”

Though both gave completely different answers, I understood their meaning and raised my hand.

“Then, begin.”

As soon as I lowered my hand.

“Piyaki, boom.”

-———!!!

Piyaki’s powerful explosion engulfs Latina. This seems a bit dangerous…?

-Tap tap tap!!

“Water spirit!! Water stream!!”

-Splash!!

“Wind spirit! Blade wind at Ira!”

-Whoosh!!

“Ugh?!”

Reacting immediately to the explosion, she leaped out of the blast slightly singed, skillfully commanding her spirits to extinguish the flames from the explosion, and launched a surprise attack on Lady Ira. By a hair’s breadth, Lady Ira dodged the wind blade, when…

-Tap tap tap!! Whack!!

“Ah?!!”

As if anticipating this, she ran at full speed and struck Lady Ira’s staff, sending it flying. My, if she had been prepared, Lady Ira wouldn’t have lost her staff so carelessly. But.

“I wi—…!!”

“Gravity manipulation.”

-Whooom!!

“Nngh?!!”

That staff’s role is to help with Lady Ira’s magic recovery and focus on defensive capabilities. Conversely, it doesn’t provide much help for Lady Ira’s ‘attacks’. With a short incantation, Lady Ira bound Latina’s body, stepped back lightly, and caught her flying staff.

“Wind spirit…!!”

“Triple fireball.”

“Blow me away!!”

-Thump!!

-Boom boom boom!!!

The girl instructed her spirit behind her to hit her back, allowing her to dodge Lady Ira’s attack and close in again. She certainly wasn’t this proficient in combat half a year ago, so what on earth…

“Hup!!”

-Whack!!

“He, hehe! Latina! You’re good with a staff?!”

“I can’t win against Ira in a long-range magic battle!! I need to be worthy of being Ira and Grace’s friend!! I worked hard!!!”

-Whack! Thwack!! Clack!!

That’s quite a good judgment. If she had thought of facing Lady Ira in a direct magical duel, if she had continued after the first attack, the outcome would have been decided long ago. But fighting up close like that…

“Piyaki’s main attack is powerful explosions, right?! If I get this close!! I who practiced staff fighting…!!”

“Yes!! Latina is strong!! But~!!”

-Swish!!

“?!!”

While Latina might not completely dominate, she could at least continue the fight for a while. However, the premise that Lady Ira is poor at close combat was wrong. I remember Lady Ira demonstrated the martial arts she learned from Master at the entrance ceremony. This approach is meaningless.

Lady Ira lightly kicks Latina’s legs, lifting her into the air, and then swings her staff down to strike, when…

“Water cannon!!”

“Fire barrier!!”

-Hisssss!!

-Tumble!

Once again escaping the crisis using her water spirit’s power from behind, she immediately corrects her posture and stands up. Truly, she’s become a completely different person in half a year. Her speech, her actions. Her combat abilities too.

“Huff! Huff! Huff!”

“Amazing! Latina has become so strong!! How did you do it?”

“Inhale. …You’re not mocking me? That was my full power, but you blocked it so easily.”

“Hehe. Latina has gotten stronger, but I’ve gotten stronger too!”

-Tap tap tap tap!!

As soon as she finishes speaking, Lady Ira starts charging in this time. There’s no reason for her to engage in close combat, is she going easy? But.

“Wind blade!! Fireball!!”

“Earth wall!! Ice lance!!”

This time Latina blocks Lady Ira’s charge with attack magic, and Lady Ira smiles joyfully as she casts spells in rapid succession. But if the distance widens again like that…

“Piyaki!! A slightly stronger boom than before!!”

“Peet!”

“Magic barrier!!”

-BOOOOOM!!!

Barely blocking the explosion that detonated right in front of her with a barrier, Latina retreats, and then.

“This is the end!! Twelve consecutive fireballs!! Piyaki, support the fireballs!!”

“Peeet~!!”

“Ugh!! It’s not over!! Four water cannons!! Wind barrier!!”

Lady Ira says she’ll end it now and launches a barrage of fireballs with about 20% of her magic power. And Latina uses her two spirits at full power to defend and even deploys a magic barrier to withstand. As expected, the outcome is…

-Tap.

“It’s over. I win.”

“…Eh?”

Having teleported behind Latina at some point, Lady Ira points her staff at her head for a decisive victory.